Our Game of Lies
by IAmGroot51
Summary: Rinna has no memories. All she has to show for her past is a mangled leg and an uncontrollable power in her veins. She is found wandering in the woods and is brought to the Allfather's palace, where she is turned over to the ambitious prince of Asgard to be studied. As Loki's ambitions grow, they grow closer and soon Rinna is caught up in a game she never wanted any part in.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The snow fell heavily and unrelentingly, covering the ground in a suffocating white blanket and clinging to the needled branches of the fir trees. The sun shone harshly overhead, stinging Loki's eyes. The hunting party was chaotic and rowdy, too loud to truly have the element of surprise. Though that didn't seem to have stopped them. Two servants were toting a pole with a doe strung up by its skinny legs, blood dripping from the ugly gash in its throat.

Loki regarded the dead animal with distaste and glanced back at the thin trail of blood it had left behind. Would anyone really notice if he slipped away now? He doubted it; they'd be too absorbed in Thor's golden brilliance, his hunting prowess and utter idiocy. And, even if they did notice, he doubted they'd care. He cast one final glance at the slaughtered doe before turning his horse into the dense forest, digging his heels into its sides to urge it on. No one called after him; they were too drunk and loud to hear his horse's footfalls.

It wasn't long before he'd completely lost sight of them.

* * *

Rinna forced herself onwards, through the snow, ignoring the screams of protest from her leg and back and fighting cries of pain. No matter how overwhelming the pain was, it couldn't overpower the terror that tore at her with knife-like, icy claws and the irrepressible feeling of something following close behind her. The slightest pause would be fatal, she was sure of it, even if she couldn't see this danger.

Every breath burned and she trembled with cold and weakness. She didn't know why she was running or what she was running from. All she knew that was whenever she tried to grasp for an answer, her mind brushed against a slick, dark wall that sent a wave of excruciating pain ripping through her, worse, even, than the pain in her leg and back.

Her run had slowed to a stumbling walk, her leg a burning deadweight that felt like it could give way any second. Her entire body felt as though it could fall apart. She had to keep going, had to get away…

She fell against a tree, bracing her hands against it to keep herself upright. Fear pounded at her… _run, run, run…_

The sound of heavy footsteps crunching against the snow caught her ear and she froze. A rider on horseback came into her view, shadowed by the surrounding trees. She watched warily, unable to obey the insistent urge to run, run and never stop…

The rider stopped, staring down at her with piercing green eyes. Rinna hauled in a breath.

"P-please… help…" she pleaded, her voice a hoarse whisper. The man looked her over, taking in her full length, a look of horror crossing his face briefly before he swung from the saddle and crossed the distance between them in three strides. He took her gently by the arm, steadying her.

"Are you alright?" His eyes drifted down to her legs, taking in the injuries there. A wave of nausea washed over her and her vision blurred. The man said something but his voice sounded distant and far off and she couldn't make out the words. The world swam, disintegrated and went black.

Loki reached out and caught the girl before she could hit the ground. She felt as though she could fall apart at any moment, her ribs jutting harshly from her abdomen. She was gaunt and pale, her dark brown hair emphasising her sickly pallor. The back of her thin dress was stiff with dried blood, and her leg… the skin of the bony limb was thick with ugly, gnarled scars and twisted burn marks… he caught a glimpse of pale bone by her ankle and looked away. She was bleeding, she needed help.

He pulled her limp form to his chest and held her tightly as he remounted his horse, her blood sticky on his hands. Judging by the amount that had soaked into her dress and the wounds on her leg, she had lost a lot of blood. He needed to take her to Eir.

Her chest rose and fell too rapidly, too erratically, as if her grip on life was slipping. Loki tightened his grip on her, as if his hold could keep her tethered here. He looked down at her leg as the horse carried them through the snow. What could do that kind of damage to one limb and leave the rest of her unmarked? He gritted his teeth. It had to have been deliberate. The most likely explanation was that she was an escaped slave and these injuries had been some kind of punishment.

He looked at her face. She looked so young, so delicate…

They were nearing the edge of the forest when the girl stirred. Loki heard her breath hitch and felt the muscles in her abdomen tense.

Without warning, a pulse of energy ran through him, not quite strong enough to knock him from his horse but enough to wind him. The sensation was not quite pain, but it felt fundamentally _wrong_ , as if every cell in his body was crying out in protest against its presence. It was not seidr, it was something else entirely.

The girl was breathing heavily, slumped forward over the horse's neck. Loki closed a hand around her arm.

"What was _that_?" He hissed, still uneasy from the impact. The girl stiffened at his touch but did not respond, perhaps too weak to. Loki persisted, repeating the question, hearing his voice grow harsher.

The girl shook her head, her breath wavering. She looked over her shoulder and her eyes were wild with fear. "I don't know," she whispered hoarsely, something pleading in her voice. "I-I don't..." Her voice faded and she closed her eyes, wincing.

Loki studied her carefully. He had a natural affinity for spotting lies; usually people were betrayed by a certain waver in their voice or a look in their eyes... He could see none of these signs in this girl... just fear and pain in her eyes. Perhaps she hadn't meant to hurt him, perhaps something he'd done had triggered a natural response. Whatever it was, it was a mystery to him and his only source of answers was about to bleed out in his arms.

He nudged his horse back into a walk and they made their descent from the forest covered mountains. The palace loomed ahead, its towers stretching up towards the sky like greedy, golden fingers.

* * *

 **Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review- constructive criticism is always welcome.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Rinna woke in a strange place. She was nestled between soft, warm sheets, her head thick and foggy. She could vaguely remember being carried in here and concerned whispers as something was wrapped tightly around her leg, but the memories were clouded and uncertain.

One was a little clearer, a little stronger than the rest. She remembered the sharp green eyes of the man who had brought her here, and that... that wave she'd sent out, fuelled by a moment of panic. She hadn't meant to, hadn't even realised she possessed the power to do so, but it had happened anyway.

She felt it now, a rippling, crackling energy in her veins, straining at her fingertips to escape, throbbing like a second heartbeat in her chest. It was reassuring, soothing like cool water.

She used her elbows to prop herself up, wincing as the skin on her back burned, but persisted.

She was in a small room, empty except for a small, ornate cabinet and the bed she was lying on. There was a small window to her left, baring a stretch of blue sky and an ocean of glimmering buildings, bathed in golden sunlight. Rinna let the view hold her gaze for a few moments, marvelling at the beauty of it, but soon dragged her eyes towards the door. It was sturdy with a strange rune she couldn't read carved into the dark wood. She gritted her teeth and braced herself as she pulled the covers away from her legs and swung them out of bed. Her bad, bandage covered leg groaned in protest as she did so. She closed her eyes, allowing herself a moment to recover, before making herself look at the limb, take in the information.

These people, whoever they were, had bandaged her leg, given her a bed, dressed her in a clean, crisp nightgown. Perhaps they didn't mean her any harm. Perhaps she was safe here...

That cold, cutting fear grabbed at her once more, filling her with the urge to run, run, _run_... Run from what?

Unwittingly, she brushed against that unrelenting wall in her mind and pain tore at her like a rabid monster, black spots dancing over her vision, a distorted, wailing scream tearing itself from her mouth... There was a jarring impact and something cold pressing against her cheek, hands grabbing at her, lifting her, being covered once more, and then nothing.

* * *

Loki rapped softly on the door to his father's study and waited for a reply, jaw clenched. He summoned the cool, calm feeling he used whenever he fought a battle; arguments and strategies were best formed with a clear mind.

The girl with the mangled leg ran through his mind, joined by that strange pulse of power she had sent out. That unrecognisable, unworldly pulse of power... it had to have an origin, had to be from _some_ where, whether it was known to the realm or not. There had to be answer as to why a terrified girl with an inexplicably marred leg and magic like that was running through the forests of Asgard.

In short, she was quite the fascinating little puzzle, but, like all puzzles, she had to have an answer. And he intended to find it.

He had debated whether to come here or not, but it seemed the wisest decision; while he desperately wanted answers and Odin was likely to be against it, something of such importance and potential danger kept a secret would enrage the Allfather when he inevitably learned of it, and would certainly convince him of Loki's incompetency. However, feign an interest in the realm and its safety, and he would gain his father's trust and assure him of his loyalty. If he played his cards right, he could achieve this and get exactly what he wanted.

"Come in," Odin called from inside the study. Loki pushed open the door and stepped inside with a bow.

"Yes?" Odin said, an impatient edge to his voice.

"I came to speak to you," Loki said. Odin frowned.

"Then sit." He gestured to an empty chair. Loki inclined his head and sat. "Well? What did you come to say?" Odin asked in his usual brusque manner.

Loki did his best to keep his expression pleasant. "Have you received word of the girl I brought here yesterday?"

"Yes, Eir informed me of her arrival. She told me that she had a number of grave injuries."

"Yes. I... wanted to inform you of an... incident," Loki said gingerly. Odin straightened in his chair. "Shortly after I found her, she sent out a wave of some sort of magic."

Odin began to speak before he could continue. "Did she try to hurt you?"

"No. No, I don't believe it was intentional. She was confused afterwards and couldn't seem to answer my questions. I think it was an instinctual response to fear. The part that troubles me is that I could not recognise the magic she used," Loki said carefully. Odin's face grew stormy and he appeared to be deep in thought for several moments.

"Are you certain of this?" He asked, his tone grim. Loki nodded.

"Absolutely. I have been working with Seidr since I was half a child. I know it as well as I know my mother's face."

Odin's jaw tightened and Loki could see the battle taking place behind his good eye.

"I would like to make a proposal," he said before his father could speak again. Odin met his gaze, frowning but not completely closed off. "I think we should keep her here, in close quarters, and find out more about this magic of hers. If we win her over to our side, she could become one of our greatest weapons."

"And what if her loyalties already lie elsewhere? What if she's dangerous?" Odin demanded, seeming to grow in his chair.

"I doubt she feels a sense of loyalty for the people who maimed her leg- and Eir informed me that there are marks on her back, most likely from a whip. I doubt she wishes to return there, and if we keep her safe, give her a place to live, I expect we can win her over. She could be invaluable, should conflict arise between us and a hostile realm," Loki persisted, keeping his voice carefully calm and measured. Odin eyed him thoughtfully.

"I want her examined by Eir before I make a decision," he said after a few moments. "I need to be certain that she poses no threat to anyone." Loki nodded.

"I understand," he said.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Rinna was led from the room by a stern, sharp faced woman in a blue robe. She'd been given a walking cane, which took a deal of weight off her bad leg, but walking still pained her and she'd been instructed, rather brusquely, not to walk too far or she would do further damage to her leg. It would never fully heal and she would need the cane for the rest of her life. She was lucky to be able to walk at all. That was what the healers told her. They'd asked her countless questions, none of which she'd been able to answer. She wasn't sure they believed her when she told them she didn't remember anything.

Standing around some sort of table, was an old man with a silver beard and a patch over one eye, and a much younger man. Rinna recognised him immediately as the man who found her in the forest. His green eyes seemed to laugh as he looked her over. She stiffened, her leg aching. What did they want with her?

The old man stepped forward. "Girl, I am Odin, Allfather and Protector of the Nine Realms. I wish to speak with you." He radiated authority and he made her feel about five inches tall.

Rinna nodded tentatively. _Allfather..._ She recognised the word, she knew what it meant. Where had she heard it before? A thick knot tightened in her chest.

"What is your name?" The old man- Allfather- asked.

"Rinna," she replied, eyes fixed firmly on the floor.

"And where do you come from?"

She shook her head, a lump rising in her throat. "I-I don't... I can't remember."

The Allfather's forehead creased disbelievingly, just like the healers'. "You remember nothing?" He asked sceptically.

"Nothing," Rinna murmured. They didn't believe her... What were they going to do to her? The Allfather looked to stern faced healer, who stepped forward.

"She doesn't appear to have a head injury or anything else that could cause memory loss," she said. "And we are yet to examine her on the Soul Forge."

The Allfather gave a sharp nod. "Do it now," he commanded.

Rinna was guided by gentle but firm hands onto the strange table and was pushed into a lying position. Her heart was hammering as some sort of glowing matter sprung up above her, some of it mimicking her form and other parts forming lines and dials. Among the gold that made up her shape was an intertwined mass of snaking black lines, woven through and embedded in it.

Rinna turned her head and looked around the room. Everyone's eyes were firmly held by the glowing patterns above her- except the man with the green eyes. He looked down at her and gave her a brief smile before looking back up at the writhing mass above her. Rinna's gaze joined his. She had no idea what these patterns meant, what those dark lines meant. She looked around at the faces watching it. They were grim and frowning. Her chest tightened. What did this mean? What were they going to _do to her_?

The energy in her veins roiled, perhaps sensing her racing heart and the fear gripping her. She clenched her fists as it buzzed at her fingertips, yearning to be released.

"She is of Asgardian descent," the stern faced healer said, her ever-present frown deepening. "But this energy is not from this realm. The prince was right; it is not Seidr. I have never seen anything like it before." She turned some sort of dial and the image changed. "But she was not born in possession of this energy. It has been forced into her. There are clear signs." She looked up and addressed the Allfather. "I'd say that she is the victim of experimenting."

Rinna stiffened. The healer's words sent shivers running through her and brought nausea washing over her. _Experimenting..._

The Allfather gave a grim nod and the patterns shifted yet again.

"There appears to be some kind of... block in her mind," the healer said. The man with the green eyes straightened.

"Are you able to surpass it?" The Allfather asked.

"Perhaps."

 _No._ Rinna's breath caught in her throat and she attempted to sit up, chest heaving, but something pressed itself against that wall, bringing a wave of agony down on her, burning and consuming every cell in her body. The energy at her fingertips thrummed and pushed itself past her skin and suddenly the healer was being thrown backwards. The thing touching the wall retracted and the pain was gone as quickly as it came.

Rinna slumped against the Soul Forge, breathing heavily and her whole body limp and heavy. Her head was swimming but she managed to turn to look at the healer. She was being supported by a few others and was visibly shaken but all right. The tension in Rinna's chest loosed slightly but remained stubbornly present.

A heavy silence hung over the room and they were all staring at her, wide eyed. Fear clawed viciously at her. What would they do to her now? She had tried to hurt one of them, they were going to punish her...

A pair of men in armour stepped forward but the man with the green eyes held up a hand and they begrudgingly stilled. Rinna watched him carefully, her eyes darting towards her walking cane, in the hands of a healer halfway across the room. The man turned to the Allfather.

"The power is defending the wall," he said, oddly calm. "Trying to surpass it triggered a response. Whoever put it there wants their identity to remain a secret."

Rinna clenched her fists, her nails digging into her skin. _Please, believe him..._

The Allfather looked between them thoughtfully. "Take her away, let her rest. I will speak with my son." Both men turned away and walked from the room. Rinna was taken by the arms by the two armoured men and pulled back into that little room, her leg and back burning fiercely, the energy crackling. She was dropped roughly onto the hard, little bed, her legs giving way beneath her. The men left and were replaced by a young healer. She knelt in front of the bed, holding a pair of handcuffs.

"I'm sorry," the healer murmured gently. "These are to prevent any further accidents. Will you give me your hands?"

Rinna knew better than to resist and held out her hands. The healer tightened the cuffs around her wrists and she felt the energy being pushed from her fingertips and forced up her arms, where it writhed uncomfortably in protest. The healer gave her a sympathetic smile, but it was the kind you'd give a stray dog, not a person, and she closed the door firmly behind her. Rinna heard the lock click.

* * *

"Loki, she's dangerous," Odin hissed, his good eye fiery.

"She didn't mean to do it," Loki said, keeping his voice carefully level. "Eir triggered a defence mechanism. It was not her doing. We just have to avoid making the same mistake again."

This wall in the girl's- Rinna's- mind simply made the puzzle more fascinating. The person who'd done this to her had used a type of magic he had never heard of before. He wanted to know how it worked, where it came from, how to use it.

"I cannot take that risk," Odin said, shaking his head. Loki straightened. He was not going to lose this battle.

"She can learn to control it. Father, just _think_ how useful she could be." He would appeal to the warrior in Odin, the strategist. He would make him see.

"What would you have me do?" Odin demanded. "Let her wander around freely? Let this power of hers lash out and strike down innocent people?"

"She will be kept under close guard. No accidents will be allowed to happen and I will work with her. I have been using magic my entire life and I will find out what it is she's using, where it came from and how to control it." Loki waited tensely for Odin's answer. The king could not deny that he was a skilled magic user and a dedicated scholar. If anyone could unravel these secrets, it was him. He would have to be a fool to deny him the chance. "We will tell the people that she is the daughter of an old friend of yours, a dead general. She has been placed under your care, due to her father's death. That will explain her presence here."

Odin looked to be considering it. Loki gritted his teeth.

"Very well," Odin said after a pause. "I will allow you to work with her. But the moment she spills a drop of Asgardian blood, the deal is off. Understand?"

Loki nodded, suppressing a grin.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Please leave a review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Rinna was moved from the tiny room in the healers' wing to a suite of rooms somewhere else in the palace. She was given ornate gowns and robes and _handmaidens_. Her new chambers were beautiful, but she knew there were guards posted outside and no one would tell her why this was happening. She'd gone from dangerous prisoner to 'an esteemed general's daughter' within a day. All she'd been told was that she was to introduce herself as Rinna Vanosdottir and she was now under the care of the Allfather. She had no idea what was to become of her. It was a horrible feeling, to be certain of nothing. Every time she thought about the memories she couldn't access, what could be lurking behind that wall, she felt sick.

These new chambers were a cell, just as the room in the healing wing had been. It simply wore a disguise.

Her three handmaidens dressed her in a silky, pale cream dress and brushed he hair, teasing it out of its tangles and knots and into dark, wiry curls, never meeting her eyes as they did so. They brought plates of food, which she fell upon hungrily. The eldest handmaiden, Mena, smiled as she did so, remarking on her protruding ribs and hollow cheeks. Rinna could only eat a quarter of the food before her stomach was fit to burst.

She was left to rest and eat for a day before a guard came to fetch her.

"Prince Loki requests your presence in the library," he said, giving a respectful nod of his head. Rinna simply nodded apprehensively and allowed him to lead her from the room.

* * *

The library was the only place Loki felt truly comfortable. It was a gloomy maze of narrow passages, with shelves stuffed full of ancient and new tomes and scrolls. They'd never been counted. It was said by some that there were secret passages that you could get lost in and that you could still hear the calls of the spirits of the ones who had been lost here before. Loki didn't believe that but he always left a trail of softly glowing spheres behind him whenever he came- an old childhood habit he'd never lost.

If there was an answer to be found, here was the place to find it.

Loki sat in his usual alcove, clutching a huge book. It had been written thousands of years ago by a Vanir who had travelled the entire known universe. He'd documented his discoveries. It was a long shot, but Loki hoped to find something useful in it.

Two sets of footsteps alerted him to the arrival of Rinna and the guard he'd sent to fetch her. He looked up to find them standing a few feet away. Rinna was watching him warily, her dark, wide eyes reminding him of the eyes of that slaughtered deer. Now that she'd had a decent meal and had been cleaned up, her skin had regained a little colour and was not the sickly colour it had appeared before, but olive. She was still stick-thin and bony. She looked as though she'd been starving her entire life. Perhaps she had.

Loki dismissed the guard with a wave of his hand and turned back to Rinna. She was looking at him like she was expecting him to breathe fire in her face. He tried to relax her with a smile but it had no effect.

"Come and sit," he said, gesturing to the floor beside him; the library had not been furnished with chairs. Rinna stepped tentatively a little closer. She moved like a broken puppet, as if every movement brought her pain. Slowly, painfully, she folded herself into a sitting position on the floor, keeping a safe distance between them and clutching the crook of her walking cane tightly. She kept her eyes on the stone floor in front of her, shoulders hunched and knuckles white.

"Loki," Loki said, inclining his head. Introductions were as good a place to start as any.

"Rinna," she whispered. He already knew, but it was better than her previous silence.

"I've been instructed to teach you to control your magic and, if we are successful, to help you access your memories."

She looked up at this, eyes widening and sparking with both hope and fear. "Do you know how to do that?" She asked softly.

Loki shook his head. "I'm afraid not, but I intend to find out." The hope in her eyes dimmed slightly but did not completely disappear. "I think our first point of order is to teach you control," Loki said, frowning thoughtfully. "Can you feel your magic?"

Rinna nodded.

"I think we'll avoid trying to use it for now," Loki said, remembering the way Eir had been thrown backwards. "But where can you feel it?"

"Everywhere, but it's stronger in my fingers," Rinna replied and Loki noticed the way she kept her hands in fists.

"Try to push it up and focus it in your arms," Loki instructed, watching her carefully as she unfurled her hands and her jaw clenched.

* * *

Rinna tried to draw the buzzing at her fingertips up into her arms, willing it to retract, but it refused to yield, did not even seem to heed her at all. It seemed to have a mind of its own and that frightened her. What if it decided to lash out again? What if it truly hurt someone? She gritted her teeth. She _had_ to do this, keep it contained.

How was this supposed to feel? Was she supposed to be able to control it like an extra limb or was she meant to will it to move with her mind and just feel it happen? She gave it a tug and felt it hum in response but there was no upwards motion.

Loki was watching her. His gaze made her nervous and she wished he would stop. She gave another tug, still to no avail, frustration and fear building in her chest. Perhaps this would be easier if she was alone.

But maybe she should be more grateful; he'd been the one to bring her here, the one who'd spoken for her when her magic lashed out. Perhaps he truly wanted to help her. But why? He was a prince – surely he had better things to do. What was in it for him?

Another pull; still nothing. She looked up, throat tightening. "I can't..." She whispered.

Loki looked thoughtful. "It could be difficult to control because it is not a natural part of you," he said, seemingly to himself, looking at nothing in particular. Then he looked up and met her eyes. "Does it respond to you at all?"

Rinna nodded. "A-a little."

"Then perhaps it's because you're inexperienced. Keep trying, alright?" Loki said. "It will work at some point."

Rinna nodded her understanding, fighting the urge to clench her fists and making another, rather feeble attempt to draw the energy up her arms.

She was expecting Loki to keep watching her but he turned back to the book he'd been reading before she'd arrived. That made it a little easier. Maybe he realised that.

They sat in silence for a while, Loki reading and Rinna unsuccessfully trying to manipulate the energy.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed before the session came to a close. Loki asked her to come back the next day - as if she had a choice - and she nodded meekly, trying to suppress the crushing uncertainty in her chest as she was returned to her pretty cell.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Rinna spent the rest of that day and the entire next morning attempting and failing to control the energy. It was surprisingly draining and, by the time the guard was sent to fetch her once again, her limbs felt heavy and cumbersome. Walking down to the library took far more effort than yesterday and her bad leg felt as though it could give way at any moment.

Almost every person she passed stared at her, taking in her cane and wide eyes critically. Their eyes felt like insects on her skin and she was almost thankful to reach the library. The guard remained outside the door, allowing her to go in by herself this time.

A trail of little, softly glowing orbs led her to Loki, just as they had yesterday. She assumed he'd made them somehow, though what purpose they had she had no idea. She supposed it made sense that he had magic too; he had to know enough to be able to teach her. But his wasn't like hers. His was the kind that could make pretty, floating spheres. Hers refused to obey her and threw people across the room.

Loki was reading again, a different book this time, and scrawling on a piece of paper almost blindly as he read. He didn't seem to sense her presence for a few seconds but eventually looked up and gave her a sharp smile. She looked down at the flagstones without returning it.

"Come, sit," he said, apparently unfazed. "Your leg must be hurting you."

She sat, a few feet away from him; it made her nervous when people got too close. She didn't understand why and she wasn't sure she wanted to.

Part of her yearned to discover the memories that hid behind that wall, but another part feared them and the horrors they surely had to carry. But a horde of horrible memories had to be better than none at all.

Loki closed his book and looked at her, eyes slightly narrowed, as if trying to decipher a cryptic message or a puzzle.

"Have you made any progress with your control over the energy?" He asked. Rinna gritted her teeth and shook her head. Loki's forehead creased slightly but he nodded slowly. "Alright," he murmured thoughtfully. "Keep working on that, but for now, I have some questions for you. Is that all right?"

Rinna nodded, her stomach twisting.

"This _wall_... what does it feel like?" He leant forward, his eyes gleaming.

Rinna thought for a moment, tugging at the sleeve of her dress with nervous fingers. "I-it feels... like stone, but it's... different somehow, it's... it pushes back."

Loki watched her for a few moments. She looked down at the floor.

"And you can't push past it?" He asked.

She shook her head, eyes firmly fixed on the floor. "No. Every time I try... there's this wave of pain, everywhere, all over me." Her stomach seized up at the thought of it.

"A way of defending itself," Loki murmured almost reverently, eyes unfocused. He looked at her suddenly. "Whoever put this wall in place thought it out well. I've found a few descriptions of mind blocks but none of them seem to match yours. It's most odd."

Perhaps whatever had done this to her wasn't from this world, this universe... perhaps this library didn't hold the answer, perhaps no one from this world had ever come across it before. The thought made Rinna's chest constrict. There _had_ to be an answer. What was she supposed to do if there wasn't? How was she meant to move forward without memories?

She closed her eyes and gave another frustrated tug at the energy, gritting her teeth when there was no response.

* * *

Over the next few days, Loki tried several different methods, ways to control the energy. None of them seemed to work. The energy had a mind of its own, swelling and retracting as it saw fit, quashing Rinna's every attempt at controlling it. Loki suggested that this was perhaps because she had not been born with it; she did not have the natural ability to bridle it and it would take time. She simply nodded and tried not to let her doubts show. She wanted to believe what he said, that she would one day master it, but she couldn't. It seemed impossible, the energy too wilful and strong, stronger than she was.

It was only a matter of time before it lashed out again. It was this thought that kept her going, pushed her to keep practising, keep trying. No one said it but she knew her stay here was conditional upon the threat she posed to these people and if Loki could help her to minimalise that. She didn't know what would happen to her if he couldn't. If _she_ couldn't. She didn't want to think about that.

The wall remained untouchable and Loki chose not to push that, possibly realising it was fruitless, instead focusing on the energy. Rinna was grateful for that.

Loki was the only one who spoke to her like a person, not like an animal that needed to be kept contained or an unwanted obligation. Rinna was rarely allowed out of her chambers, aside from the hours spent in the library, and was guarded at all times, most likely for the safety of the people. She was not allowed to mingle with the Asgardians. Rinna didn't think she minded that, but the future looked bleak if she couldn't learn to control the energy.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. I'm sorry this took so long, school is crazy at the moment and I'm preparing for mocks, so updates might be a bit sporadic for a while.**

 **Please leave a review!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Rinna was sure she was slowly beginning to exhaust herself. From the moment she woke to the second she crawled back into bed, she was attempting to draw the energy up her arm and it was draining. Every night, she fell into a heavy, dreamless sleep but woke just as tired as she had been before falling asleep. She ate but did not gain weight. Her handmaidens tutted sadly at her protruding ribcage and sharp joints as they dressed each morning. Rinna reminded herself that they, and almost the entirety of the realm, believed her to be a girl in mourning – she could attribute her bony figure to grief if the need arose.

The worst part was that she knew what she was doing to herself but could not stop; she had to keep from hurting anyone else, by any means possible, not just for the safety of those around her, but for hers too.

That morning, she was escorted by a guard to the library. Her entire world was the size of her chambers, the library and the corridors between the two and she longed for it to grow. She longed to see the shining buildings outside, to stand under the blue sky and wander the wide, twisting streets. The idea both terrified and thrilled her.

As usual, the guard stopped at the door to the library, letting her continue alone. She made her way through the narrow, dusty corridors, listening to the soft tap of her cane against the stone floor. That tap was constant, comforting, an anchor.

Loki was in in his usual alcove and, as usual, had a book open in his lap. He looked up at the sound of her cane and smiled. "Good morning," he said. Rinna could barely manage a smile as she sat, her bad leg throbbing. Halfway through lowering herself gingerly to the floor, her foot slipped, bringing her to the floor with a jerk. Her hand slammed against the cold stone and suddenly she was somewhere else.

 _Her hands were braced against the slick, hard ground and she was breathing raggedly, arms trembling with the effort of keeping herself from collapsing to the ground. Burning, fiery pain striped across her back and a scream tore itself through her raw throat. There were cold, thick shackles around her wrists, the chains snaking across the stone to where they were attached. That burning pain brought itself upon her again and again, until she no longer had the strength to scream._

 _She tilted her head up, looking for someone. A boy, perhaps a little older than she was, stood several feet away, swathed in shadows. He had dark olive skin, ragged dark curls and a hollow face, his eyes swimming with horror and fear as he stared back at her, tears spilling onto his cheeks..._

A hand wrapped itself around her arm and she recoiled, lifting a hand to defend herself. The energy within it roiled and pushed itself forward, outward, with savage strength. There was a clatter and a chorus of dull thuds. Then she was back in the library.

It was Loki's hand on her arm. His green eyes were wide, filled with both concern and a strange curiosity. Across the alcove, a number of books had fallen from the shelves and were lying on the ground, like a flock of leathery fallen birds. She'd done that, she'd lost control...

"Are you alright?" Loki asked, his hand still on her arm. "What happened?"

Rinna gritted her teeth, telling herself to be rational. She'd lost control but she hadn't hurt anyone, hadn't hurt Loki. She'd just knocked over a few books. But how close had she come to hurting him?

"Rinna?" Loki's voice was growing urgent, his grip on her arm tighter.

"I..." Her voice was raspy and raw. She stiffened. Had those screams been aloud? "I'm sorry," she whispered, looking over at the fallen books. She'd lost control... what would they do to her now? She was dangerous and the Allfather was going to have her punished...

"I'm sorry," she said again, her heart pounding.

"It's all right," Loki murmured, letting go of her but staying close. "I won't tell him."

The fear dissipated slightly but she eyed him disbelievingly.

"Truly," Loki said, perhaps sensing her doubt. "This incident stays between us." His eyes were earnest, honest. "Believe me; your absence would fail to serve my needs. If you will not believe in my mercy, believe in my selfish nature." His eyes were suddenly shining with humour and his mouth was curved into a sharp smile.

Rinna allowed herself to relax slightly. She believed him; he was right – it would not be in his interest to see her gone. Whatever those interests were.

"What happened?" Loki asked, the humour vanishing from his face as quickly as it had come.

"I... I remembered," Rinna murmured, trembling. She ran over the memory in her mind, clinging to every detail in case it disappeared behind that wall once more. Loki straightened, moving closer.

"How much? What did you see?" His eyes flamed, demanding answers.

"I... there was somebody there... whipping me, but I couldn't see who it was. And there was a boy. He-he looked like me," Rinna said, her voice wavering as she tried to conjure up the boy's face in her mind. Her olive skin, her dark curls, teary eyes... who _was_ he?

"Could he have had a part in what was done to you? Do you know if he was in any way responsible?" Loki's words were hungry, hungry for answers.

She shook her head automatically. "No. No, he was... he was crying." Rinna frowned, a lump forming in her throat. "He was upset."

Loki nodded once. "Listen..." His lips tightened. "Will you allow me to test the wall in your mind? It may be that it has been weakened for one reason or another and I may be able to get past it." Rinna stiffened, her chest tightening. "I won't do it without your permission," Loki said. "And if you ask me to stop, I'll stop."

Rinna looked down at her hands, avoiding his eyes. She wanted those memories. She wanted to know who that boy was and if there was a chance that that could happen now... She could become a person with memories, a person with roots.

She nodded. "All right."

Loki lifted a hand slightly and closed his eyes. Rinna clenched her fists, nausea and fear curling around her throat. She could feel him there, in her mind, and the protestations it made against his presence. It was like breathing in smoke and fighting not to choke on it.

The tendril he'd sent into her mind found the wall. Her stomach clenched as she felt it grow closer, closer... and then came the pain, tearing at her once again, ripping at her wildly. It was going to tear her apart... She dug her nails into her palms, fighting a scream.

"Stop," she whispered. "Stop."

The tendril withdrew and the pain stopped, leaving her shaking and weak. Loki's eyes opened and he looked at her.

"I'm sorry," was all he said before standing and picking the fallen books up from the floor and shelving them away.

* * *

 **Again, I apologise for how long this chapter took, I'm up to my neck in schoolwork at the moment. I hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you think :).**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

That night, Rinna laid awake, staring up at the high ceiling of her chambers. Her mind was too full and racing too fast to sleep. She thought of the boy who had appeared to her in that memory. His teary eyes, his skin, his hair... all the same shade as hers. Who _was_ he? Was he family of some kind? And where was he now? Was he still there, in that hellhole she'd somehow managed to escape? The thought made her shiver. Were they doing to him what they'd done to her?

At some point, sleep overcame her and her dreams were hazy and full of eyes.

Her sleep was fitful and, come morning, she was just as tired as she had been last night. If Loki hadn't been expecting her, she would have remained in bed all morning.

She was glassy eyed and silent as her handmaidens dressed her and as a guard escorted her down to the library. Loki was waiting outside instead of their usual alcove. He gave a lazy smile as she and the guard approached. Rinna frowned. The guard bowed before departing and Rinna looked towards the library doors. Loki followed her gaze.

"You have been working yourself too hard," he said. "If you carry on like that, you'll be drained within a month."

Rinna looked down at her feet and flushed slightly. An indignant feeling curled in her stomach. She _had_ to keep working, had to learn to control the energy inside her. She had to find that boy.

"Would you not like to leave the palace for once?" Loki asked. "To go out into the city?"

Rinna looked up. She thought of all the beautiful golden buildings outside, the stone paved streets, the azure sky...

Loki seemed to be able to read her thoughts and smiled. "Well, then," he said without waiting for her response. "I'm afraid there is one condition." His face fell slightly as he produced a pair of slender metal bands. "These are to keep your magic in check, by order of my father." Rinna did not miss the slight mocking tone in his voice as he said this. She, however, felt no reluctance to wear the bands. The last thing she wanted was to hurt anyone and if they could prevent that... she would gladly put them on.

Loki looked apologetic as he fastened them around her wrists, which was, for a reason she could not quite identify, reassuring. Perhaps it was because he did not seem to think her a monster. She was grateful for that. She felt the bands, with a little difficulty it seemed, drag the energy upwards to her wrists and leave her hands empty. It felt good, not to have it straining to escape at every waking moment. The sleeves of her dress fell down to cover the bands, but even if someone were to see them, they were no more conspicuous than bracelets.

Loki led her down the corridor, away from the library. Rinna couldn't help the twinge of guilt she felt at abandoning her work, abandoning that boy to wherever he was, but she reminded herself that it was only for one day... and Loki was right. If she drained herself, it would be a long time before they made any progress at all and she'd be of no use to that boy.

She followed Loki down to a small courtyard where two horses were waiting.

"I don't know how to ride one," she murmured and eyed the beasts warily.

"Don't worry," Loki told her. She wanted to ask questions but he was already making his way over to the larger of the two horses. A stable hand helped Rinna onto the smaller, a difficult, embarrassing task due to her bad leg. Rinna was red-faced by the time she was in the saddle. The ordeal, however, was not over. It was only when she looked down that she realised her saddle was not an ordinary one. One side had an assortment of straps and buckles which the stable hand used to fasten her bad leg to the saddle, in order to allow her to keep her balance and stay on the horse. The stable hand strapped her cane to the saddle and Loki nudged his horse into a walk. He was right; she needn't have worried. As if tugged along by an invisible leash, her mare plodded along placidly beside his. Whether it had been trained to do so or was instructed by some kind of magic, she had no idea.

The sky was clear, the sun swathing everything in sight in golden light. It was warm on Rinna's face, even as it stung her eyes, which were so accustomed to dark corners of the library and her dimly lit chambers. It only took minutes to be fully free of the palace's grip and out on the wide, bright streets. There were people everywhere, some on horseback, some on foot, some in silk, some in rags, some pale, some dark. Some sold their wares on stands and called out to attract customers.

Many of them, mainly the ones who dressed in finery, recognised Loki and inclined their heads respectfully as they passed. Loki nodded back, a little tersely, but seemed more interested in the stalls selling various potions and concoctions.

"Drink a sip of this twice a day, my lady, and you'll have the loveliest skin in Asgard within a month," a small man behind one of these stalls called to Rinna and held up a small blue bottle. Rinna smiled politely but shook her head and the little man turned his attention to another woman.

"Don't believe a word they say," Loki said to her quietly. "Half his sort simply stir a few herbs and a little wine together and call it a potion."

"And the other half?" Rinna asked.

"Are very hard to find," he replied.

They passed another stall selling jewellery. The woman behind it held up a green jewel hanging from a silver chain. "This would suit your wife beautifully, milord," she said to Loki. Rinna hid her flush by looking down at her hands.

"This is not my wife, I'm afraid," Loki said. Rinna couldn't see his face but she heard the laughter in his voice.

"Perhaps this would change her mind," the woman said. Loki just laughed and urged his horse onwards.

"Perhaps you'd like to see the Bifrost," he said to Rinna and smiled. Rinna frowned.

"The Bifrost?"

"The only known way of travel between the Nine Realms. Many go their entire lives without catching a glimpse of it."

Rinna nodded and heard his unspoken words in her mind: _Clearly you used some other way to get here_.

The streets grew emptier as they grew further from the market and Rinna could hear her own breath once more.

Soon, a rippling, dark body of water came into view. Reaching across it, like a shining arm, was some kind of bridge.

"The Rainbow Bridge," Loki said. They went closer and Rinna could make out the tiny glints of colour beneath the glassy surface, explaining why it had been named so. She half expected it to splinter beneath the horses' hooves but it remained intact, sturdier, even, than stone.

The bridge seemed to stretch as far as the horizon, but it was soon revealed that Asgard ended with a sudden halt and swathes of the water fell from the edge into the nothing below. The Bifrost was perched on the end of the bridge, on the end of the world, a round, golden structure with a pointed spike reaching upwards. Beyond it was an endless sky full of stars.

Loki helped Rinna to dismount, unfastening her leg from the saddle. Rinna found it impossible to believe that he did not sense her embarrassment, but he showed no sign of it. He placed her gently onto the ground and handed her the cane.

A man in golden armour stood in the centre of the Bifrost, his hands wrapped around a sword almost as tall as Rinna. He turned slightly as they entered and gave a respectful nod. His eyes were as gold as his armour.

"Your Grace," he murmured.

"Heimdall," Loki greeted him. "This is Lady Rinna."

"I know," Heimdall said simply. Rinna blinked. How did he know her name? "You have been rather perplexing, my lady," he continued. Rinna looked at Loki in search of an explanation.

"Heimdall has been given the gift of sight," Loki said. "He sees everything." Rinna straightened at that. Perhaps he held the answers to a few of her questions.

Loki seemed to be thinking something similar and Rinna saw that this was more than just a simple trip to the city. He was still looking for answers.

"What did you see the day Rinna arrived here?" He asked and tipped his head to one side. Heimdall's forehead creased.

"I saw her fall through a doorway, a portal. I could not see what was on the other side of it and it was gone within seconds of her arrival."

Rinna's breath caught in her throat. She did not remember that...

"She was shouting something. A name."

"What name?" Rinna asked, her voice sharper than she'd meant.

"Arlos," Heimdall replied.

The name echoed through her mind. She heard her own voice, shrill and frightened, screaming it, calling for help, blood smeared on dark stone, fiery pain in her back... That was all her mind would yield to her. But it was enough. She thought of that boy, the one with her eyes... _Arlos_.

Loki looked at her. "Do you know that name?" He asked. She nodded. His gaze sharpened.

"That was the first I ever saw of you, my lady," Heimdall said. "Most of your life was spent somewhere my gaze does not reach."

* * *

 **This took me way too long to upload and I am very sorry. Still, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

 _Arlos._

The name filled Rinna's every waking moment and it supplied her with more questions than answers. Who was he? How had she known him? Was he still alive?

Loki questioned her about it but there wasn't much she could tell him. She could see his mind at work behind his eyes as he tried to fit this new piece into the puzzle. When she went down to the library the next day, he was already surrounded by a veritable sea of books. He had been there for a long while. Absently, he handed her a thick, leather-bound book, eyes still fixed on the one in his hands. Rinna looked down at the floor as shame coloured her cheeks.

"I... I don't know how to read it," she murmured. Loki looked up.

"Oh... no, of course not." He lowered the book and dug another out from under a pile of them. He flicked through it and opened it somewhere near the middle. He held it out to her. "Does this jog your memory?" He asked.

On the page was a drawing of a man. His mouth was open in a scream of agony and a hand was pressed to the side of his face. He was leaning away from it. On the next page, the same man stood on a battlefield, surrounded by limp bodies. His hands were held out and a soldier was held in mid-air before them. Rinna looked back at the first picture, realisation dawning on her. They were forcing the power into him.

"It's very unlikely that this exact method was used on you, but it may have been something very similar," Loki said and took the book back. Rinna remembered what Eir had said and nodded in agreement. A chill ran through her. "A sorcerer from Vanaheim used it, perhaps a thousand years ago. And the Dark Elves, they had something similar, called the Kursed. But those involved the insertion of a powerful, magic wielding object into the body."

The energy in Rinna's veins thrummed. It did not come from an object, she didn't think. It was more like raw energy, without a source.

"What does it feel like? Your magic?" Loki asked.

"It's just... energy. It moves and strengthens sometimes... when I'm scared. It has a mind of its own. It pushes, trying to escape, I think. It _wants_ to hurt people." The energy buzzed at her fingertips, as if it was mocking her. She curled her hands into fists.

Loki frowned. "There are a number of relics that behave in this way," he said. "They act on their own."

Rinna did not care for the idea of a powerful, separate entity inside her. It made her stomach squeeze and her heart thunder.

"You must learn to control it," Loki said. "If it lashes out..."

"What if I can't?" Rinna asked, cutting him off. "What if I'm simply a host? What if it makes me its puppet, not its wielder?" An icy hand curled around her throat.

Loki shook his head. "You'll learn," he said, his tone not allowing for argument. Rinna didn't see how he could be so certain but she held her tongue.

Despite what he'd said about exhausting herself, she continued to tug at the energy, willing it to yield. It wouldn't. It continued to push at her fingertips, bloodthirsty and insistent.

This struggle carried on for a month and Rinna grew increasingly frightened. The energy seemed as though it was simply biding its time and waiting to push her with its full force. She couldn't let that happen, but had no idea how to prevent it. It seemed to gather strength, perhaps from lack of use.

She refused to give up. She refused to be its tool, its puppet. _It_ would be _hers._ And she would hurt no one else.

She woke early one morning. The sky was a steely grey and cast her bedchamber in a soft silver glow. She reached for her cane and stood shakily. Her bed was warm but she knew that if she stayed there, her idle mind would wander and all her dreads and those sharp fragments of memory would all come swarming. No, it was better to distract herself, in any way possible.

Rinna crossed the room, the floor icy on her bare feet, and lowered herself onto the window seat.

The city looked so sombre in the early morning light. The buildings and statues did not have their usual dazzling glow and, without the thousands of brightly clothed people, it looked almost deserted. Lonely and cold.

Rinna shivered turned away from the window. She gave another futile pull at the energy. Another. Another... and felt something give. Her breath hitched and she tugged at it, more insistently this time. It rose to the first joint in her fingers. She broke into a smile and pulled harder. The energy fought her every step of the way, pushing back and writhing in protest. Rinna gritted her teeth and her hands shook.

 _You will yield_ , she hissed internally. _You will be controlled. You will be mine to use. Mine._

By the time she'd drawn it up to her knuckles, she was trembling and breathing shallowly with the effort it had taken. Her hands felt odd. Empty. Calm. She strained to keep her hold on the energy and she wanted nothing more than to let go, to let the energy pour back into her fingertips, but she forced herself to loosen her grip slowly, let it flow back slowly. It pulled, urging her to let it go, but she held on until it had filled her again.

She then heaved it back up again and then lowered it slowly. Pulled it up. Lowered it. Again. Again. She was sweating at the end of it and her entire body felt weak. But she could not help her smile. It _could_ be controlled. She would become its master, she would not let it lash out again.

When her handmaidens arrived, she bade them dress her quickly and, as soon as they were finished, she hurried down to the library. She suspected Loki would already be there, continuing his search for answers.

She was correct. Loki was poring over a thick, ancient looking tome when Rinna found him. He looked up at her arrival, took in her shining eyes and frowned.

"I did it," Rinna breathed before he could say anything. His frown deepened. "I manipulated the energy. I _controlled_ it."

Loki's eyes widened and sparked. He pushed his book aside and stood.

"How much?" he asked eagerly. "How many times?"

"Five times. To my wrist," Rinna replied, still a little breathless. Loki grinned.

"Can you do it again?" He asked and stepped closer.

"I can try," Rinna said.

They set to work.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! Please let me know what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The maids had come to despair of Loki's chambers; every surface was covered in books and scrolls and he had forbade them to touch them, so cleaning and tidying proved to be impossible. Loki didn't mind that. It meant that he was very rarely disturbed by anyone. He was left alone to study mind blocks and any information he could find on hosts, experimentation with soldiers and long forgotten relics.

But, even while his studies were not overly fruitful, at least they had learned that Rinna was capable of manipulating that energy. It had been given to her as a weapon, not the other way around. Now she just had to learn to use it.

They practised in the forest where he had found her for a time. He'd ask her to lift stones and fallen branches and the results were often near-disastrous. Once, she accidentally sent a cloud of rocks and pebbles hurtling at his head. It was only by using his own Sidr and apparating on the other side of the clearing that he was able to save himself.

And, although Rinna's control over her magic was lacking, she herself did seem to be improving. She was no longer the emaciated, half-wild creature he'd found in the woods those few months ago. Three square meals a day had given her a little flesh on her bones and her skin was no longer pallid, but a rich, dark olive. She now moved with a little more ease, with the help of her cane, though it was clear her leg still pained her.

It was not only her body that had seemed to recover; her manner had been almost entirely transformed. She had a ready smile and appeared at ease around him – at least more so than a few months ago.

Odin allowed her to venture from her chambers now, provided that she wore those bracelets that kept her magic trapped. Although she was reserved and timid around the courtiers, she proved to be a good actress, telling the stories they'd told her to tell effortlessly, even gushing over the generosity of the Allfather for taking her in. When asked, she passed her maimed leg off as a birth defect.

Loki's father, however, was growing impatient with this lack of progress. He wanted Rinna to become the weapon Loki had promised him, but, without the bracelets to keep it at bay, Rinna's power had a mind of its own and, once freed, it was like a rabid hound unleashed. He had seen the effort it took to rein it back in again and how Rinna was left trembling with fatigue afterwards. She needed a way to control it.

He couldn't help but think of the relics below the palace. There were a few that had been crafted to modify magic or perhaps change the way it was used, like turning fire magic to ice magic while it was worn. Thor's hammer sprung to mind; it had been given to him to help him channel his power. One of the relics could do the same for Rinna; if she couldn't control her magic, perhaps one of them could.

Loki began to collect books on a select few of them and spent hours poring over them. He began when the sky turned grey one evening and the next thing he knew, the sun was rising, peeping over the countless golden towers in the distance. His eyes stung from reading in the dim candlelight and he was exhausted, but he had his answer.

* * *

When Rinna woke that morning, she slipped on the pair of bracelets and felt them force the energy up into her wrists. Despite what Loki seemed to think, she didn't mind wearing them. They took away the fear that she might accidentally hurt someone and suppressed the energy's thrumming and insistent pushing at her fingers.

Just as her handmaidens had finished pinning up her curls, there was a heavy knock at the door and a guard opened it and stepped inside without waiting for a reply.

"Prince Loki requires your presence in the library at once, my lady," the guard said, bowed and left. Rinna nodded to herself and began to make her way there. If Loki wanted her in the library, it was unlikely that he wanted her to practise wielding her power. She was grateful for that; to begin using it was no great feat, but to control it and leash it once again was entirely draining. She wasn't sure she could take another day of it and, even greater than her exhaustion, was the terror that, once she'd released the energy, she'd be unable to tether it or control it and she would become its puppet, wreaking havoc and destruction across this place. The thought made her feel sick.

Loki was waiting in the library, holding an open book, his eyes alight with excitement. Rinna frowned. Had he found something useful? Her chest went tight with apprehension and longing.

"Look at this," Loki said and turned the book to show her the open page. On it was a drawing of a pair of metal gages, made of delicate chains and intricately engraved plates, studded with little gemstones.

"They're called the Arrion Claws," Loki said and Rinna noted the way the fingers curled into savage-looking talons. "They were made to keep magic in check and were last used by a very powerful Vanir sorceress to keep her from wiping out her own army in battle."

Rinna's breath caught as hope swelled in her chest. "And you think I could use them? They could help me control the energy?"

Loki nodded but he avoided her eyes. "That doesn't mean to say my father will allow you to use them," he warned. "I'll speak to him."

Rinna nodded and her stomach twisted.

* * *

Loki knocked on the door to Odin's study, fists clenched. What he had not told Rinna weighed heavily on his mind; the Claws also had the ability to heighten the user's power, if they so desired. His father would be difficult to convince, but it seemed the only option.

"Come in," Odin called from inside. Loki opened the door, stepped inside and made his case, careful to appear poised and competent, despite his lack of sleep.

"No." Odin said once he was done. He shook his head and made to turn away. Loki gritted his teeth.

"Father, there may not be another way-"

" _No._ I will not give that girl a weapon like that to use. Not until we're certain of her loyalty."

"Are we not? She has never given us any reason to doubt it."

"And yet we still know nothing about where she comes from, how she came to be here or who sent her. Even if she herself is innocent, she may be being used without her knowledge – whoever she escaped from clearly has a strong hold on her mind and they may be able to control her from afar. I cannot take that risk." Odin's voice was steely, unbending.

"I believe this may be the only way she can control the power inside her," Loki protested. "It is too strong for one person to control-"

"You have heard my answer," Odin snapped and turned his back on him.

Loki tried once more. "Father-"

"Enough. I have spoken."

Loki's jaw clenched with irritation but he forced himself to remain civil. "Very well," he said and took his leave of his father, resolving to find an answer elsewhere.

* * *

 **I'm sorry I haven't posted in so long, but my exams are over now, so I'll be able to write a lot more.**

 **Let me know what you thought of this chapter!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Rinna glanced around at the hundreds of books surrounding her. She wondered what answers they could hold for her, if only she knew how to read them.

After the defeat of the Arrion Claws, although Loki insisted that it was not a defeat yet, she wanted to help him find ways to control her power or perhaps a way to surpass the wall in her mind.

 _Arlos..._

That name still echoed in her mind, day and night. She had begun to repeat all the things she knew every night before she went to sleep as she stared up at the ceiling, lest she forget them.

 _I came here through a portal._

 _I was whipped._

 _I was tortured._

 _I was starved._

 _I was a weapon._

 _I knew someone called Arlos._

 _I escaped._

 _I'm safe now._

It wasn't a very long list, but it was something. The last two items calmed her when she felt panic rising in her chest and the sensation that there was something lurking around the corner, waiting...

It was just like that feeling she'd had in the forest; the feeling that some invisible monster was on her tail. She told herself it wasn't real but, nevertheless, she locked her door every night and clasped her fists to her chest, feeling the thrumming within. The energy's constant buzzing, while unruly and ominous by day, was comforting at night; it would protect her from anything that might try to harm her. Whatever that might be.

Tonight was a particularly bad one. That invisible threat seemed very close by, hidden in the shadows right by her bed, behind the wardrobe, just inside the washroom. A creeping sensation, like thousands of insects crawling over her skin, overcame her and she began to shake, rubbing her arms as if she could brush the invisible insects away. Rinna threw back the covers and leapt from the bed. She couldn't just lie there, prostrate and vulnerable, waiting for whatever it was to find her there.

She moved quickly through her rooms and lit candles as she went, to banish the shadows.

Soon, the entirety of her quarters was alight with a soft, golden glow and the feeling diminished a little. Rinna settled onto the window seat and drew her knees up to her chest. She looked out at the dark city. She was used to seeing it in all of its golden glory. Now it looked... sinister. Full of shadows and so empty of anything else.

But it was somehow peaceful. The emptiness was calming in a strange sort of way. It seemed as though she were the only person for miles around; the palace was deathly quiet. And, as long as she was alone, no one could hurt her.

Except that invisible thing that waited, always just out of sight. Perhaps that would never go away.

At some point, she fell asleep on the window seat and was woken by Maena, one of her handmaidens, knocking and calling for her on the other side of the door. Groggily, she pushed her hair out of her eyes, went to the door, unlocked it and pulled it open. Maena bustled in, scolded her for locking the door and selected a pale pink gown for her to wear that day. Rinna held still as she was dressed and her hair brushed and braided and pinned.

She wasn't sure she'd ever grow used to being served like this. It didn't seem right, especially as she was no better than Maena was. She wasn't a real lady.

Loki would be waiting in the library. At least she hoped so. She still wasn't ready to practise using her magic yet. She slipped on the bracelets and made her way there. Pacing through the library, she studied the spines of the books she passed and examined the runes carved into the leather. She wished she could understand them, since Loki seemed to think they were so important.

"I wondered," she began when she found Loki. "if I might learn to read." Loki opened his mouth to reply but she continued, fearful that he might refuse. "Then I could help you to look for answers and be of some use." She clasped her hands together and nervously awaited his reply.

"Of course," Loki said and nodded once. "That would certainly be wise; if one of the nobles found out you couldn't, there'd be suspicion."

He scribbled rows of runes onto a piece of paper and spent the next hour teaching her the sounds each rune made. Then he set her to copying them all out and reciting the sounds. The quill felt odd and scratchy against the paper and her hand stiff and ungainly. But, soon enough, it became more accustomed to the shapes and sharp lines of the runes, though the ones she wrote down were shaky and ugly compared to Loki's neat, precise ones.

After some time, Loki took the paper from her and wrote down a word. "What does it say?" He asked her.

Rinna studied it carefully, matching each rune to the set she'd copied out. "Rinna," she made out slowly, stammering slightly. She smiled. "It says Rinna." Loki smiled back at her.

"Try writing it out," he told her. She copied it five times, memorising it and how it looked.

Over the next few hours, Loki wrote down several words and phrases for her to decipher and copy, including something very witty about Lord Valon's many mistresses. Rinna couldn't help laughing and that seemed to make Loki smile. His eyes glittered like sharply cut emeralds.

It was late evening by the time they were done and Rinna's hands were sore.

"Get some rest," Loki said firmly and took the paper from her. "And take the day off tomorrow."

Rinna tucked an errant curl behind her ear. "I wouldn't know what to do with myself," she said. She was so used to working on one thing or another all day that she had no idea how to fill her free time. The very idea was foreign to her.

"Take a walk, practise reading, simply rest... it is important that you don't exhaust yourself," Loki supplied, brow furrowed with concern. Rinna nodded reluctantly. She wanted to practise _something_ and be of some kind of use. She thought of Arlos. She wanted to find him, whoever he was, and give him help if he needed it. She wouldn't do that by taking walks.

Loki left before she did and, once he was gone, she took a book from his veritable mountain of them. After a minute or two of studying the title, she found that it was called _Tricks of the Mind_. She took it with her to her chambers and wiled away the hours deciphering each page.

The invisible threat did not seem so imminent that night with candlelight to ward it off and a book to take her mind off it.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Loki leapt from the path of Thor's hammer, produced a knife and sent it flying. Thor blocked the attack with a metal-plated arm as his hammer returned to his hand. Loki braced himself for another attack. With a wave of his hand, three duplicates of himself sprung up around the ring. In a single blink, Loki shifted to the duplicate on the other side of the ring, the image where he had once stood now an empty copy.

Thor, unaware of this shift, hurled his hammer at where Loki had stood. Taking advantage of his now empty hands, Loki sprang forward and held a knife to his brother's back as the hammer passed through the empty image.

"Defeated again, brother," Loki hissed, unable to keep a trace of smugness from seeping into his voice.

"Using tricks," Thor grumbled. "Not a true victory."

Assenting murmurs and nods came from the edge of the ring, where the Warriors Three and the Lady Sif stood. Loki forced a smirk.

"A victory is a victory," he said. "You were always a poor loser."

Thor erased the petulant frown from his face, for fear of looking like a spoilt child. That was an exploitable trait his brother had; he liked to have the moral high ground. And so, Loki's victory did not face any further challenge, though there were bitter mumbles on the edge of the ring.

"Another match, brother?" Thor asked. Loki gave a nod and they took up their positions on each side of the ring.

Due to the growing unrest in Muspelheim, training had increased threefold. Loki doubted outright battle was more than two months away. Odin had become more irritable than usual and often seemed deep in thought.

The next match went very similarly to the last one: Loki gained an advantage with his 'dishonourable tricks' and Thor complained, but this time obtained the victory. Fandral took Loki's place afterwards. Loki joined the other three on the edge, arms and shoulders aching; he and Thor had fought seven rounds in total.

His mind wandered to Rinna. She _had_ to be given a tool to wield her magic with; the effort it took to bridle it once and for, all on her own, might kill her. He had to convince his father.

* * *

Rinna paced the corridors, restless despite the aching in her leg. Her gait was still crooked and slow but improving. That boy's teary face kept surfacing in her mind. Was that Arlos? She tried to keep his face clear in her mind to study it. He looked so much like her... the shade of his hair was identical to hers, his eyes were the same shape...

She didn't quite know what to make of it.

Lost in thought, eyes on the marble, listening the tap of her cane, she wandered for a while.

Then she collided with something soft and her thoughts were wrenched away. She gave a slight squeak of surprise and her head jerked up.

"I am so sorry, my lady," a small, stocky man with wide, watery blue eyes said profusely and held up his hands – a peaceful gesture. Rinna blinked, gathered her bearings and bobbed a stiff curtsy.

"No, _I'm_ sorry. I should have been looking where I was going," she said.

"It was my fault," the little man said and Rinna saw him eyeing her lame leg. _Oh._ He pitied her. She allowed him the last word; arguing was tedious. The little man bowed. "My name is Eris Carnson, my lady."

"Rinna Vanosdottir."

"Oh! I was sorry to hear of your father's death, my lady," Eris said earnestly. He had dull, beige coloured hair and round cheeks.

"Thank you," Rinna said and tried to smile graciously while wishing for an excuse to get away.

"I'm sorry," Eris said again. "I'll hinder you no more."

Rinna smiled, curtsied in farewell and went on her way.

She eventually found her way to the gardens and stepped out into the warm sunlight. The gardens were a set of intricate marble pathways with circles of brightly coloured flowers every five feet or so. The paths then led out onto an expanse of emerald grass. In the golden early afternoon light, the pathways and flowers seemed to glow softly.

There were only a few people outside, conversing in low voices on ornate stone seats. Rinna let the flowers hold her gaze and slowed her walk to a lazy stroll. The sunlight was calming and she couldn't help but reach out to pluck a yellow rose and hold it to her nose to smell it. It was sweeter than anything she'd smelled in a long while.

"I see you decided to heed my advice."

Rinna turned. Loki stood a few feet away. His eye was bruised and he wore dusty leathers; far removed from his usual precise, composed air. He seemed to note her observations and smiled wryly.

"I've been sparring," he said by way of explanation. Rinna nodded, straightened her skirts and squared her shoulders.

"I've been meaning to ask you something," she said cautiously.

Loki cocked his head. "What's that?"

"What... what purpose do I serve here? I know what _you_ want from me – at least I _think_ I do – but what about your father? He clearly thinks I'm dangerous." She held up her arm to show him the bracelet on her wrist and thought of his refusal to let her use the Arrion Claws. "So... why let me stay? What does he stand to gain from it?" She looked down at the rose in her hand as her stomach fluttered. After a moment, she dared to look up. Loki's mouth was tight.

"Will you take a walk with me?" he asked after a moment and offered her his arm. She gave a tentative nod and slipped her arm through his.

* * *

They set off at a slow walk and Loki took a moment to think of what he was going to say. "My father..." he began. "He believes you can be used to give us an advantage in battle." What he didn't mention was that that part of the deal was of his own making. He felt Rinna stiffen and her eyes went glassy for a moment.

"I... I can't..." She said breathlessly.

"Not yet," Loki said quickly in an attempt to calm her. "You aren't ready yet, I know."

"I'm not sure I'll ever be ready," Rinna murmured. She blinked slowly and looked up at him, eyes dark and harder than he'd ever seen. "What if I refuse to?"

 _Then he'll call off the deal_ , Loki thought grimly. Out loud, he said, "I don't know."

"Will I have to leave?" She sounded truly frightened, her voice unsteady.

Loki gritted his teeth. "Perhaps."

"I don't have anywhere to go," Rinna whispered. "So I don't have a choice, do I? I'm a captive weapon."

Loki couldn't help but admire her acute insight. "I wish it wasn't like that," he said. "But that was one of the conditions on which you were allowed to stay."

"I see," Rinna said, eyes fixed on the ground.

"I'm sorry."

"It isn't your fault."

Loki hid a wince. He thought of those books he'd read on enhanced soldiers; it was likely that Rinna had been used as a weapon by the people who had marked her back and her leg. He didn't want to return her to that, but what choice did he have?

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Rinna lay awake that night, the ghost of the smell of blood cloying and inescapable. She kept revisiting that conversation with Loki in her head.

 _A weapon..._

She'd been a weapon before, hadn't she? Why else would those... _people_ have forced this energy on her? It seemed that she'd simply traded one master for another. Perhaps the Allfather wasn't cruel, but she was still being used. That gave her an aching feeling in the back of her throat. She went over that list again, counting each item on her fingers.

 _I came here through a portal._

 _I was whipped._

 _I was tortured._

 _I was starved._

 _I was a weapon._

 _I knew someone called Arlos._

 _I escaped._

 _I'm still not quite safe._

She turned over in the bed, the quilt too thick, too hot.

That feeling was back. The invisible threat in every corner, every shadow, behind every door. A weight on her chest, squeezing the air out, preventing her next breath... The energy in her veins gave an insistent push and she clenched her fists, shoved it back.

She scrambled from the bed and hauled in a breath, hands trembling. Her legs were weak and she braced her hands against the wall and tried to regulate her breathing. The weight on her chest lightened a little but she felt the presence of something behind her, creeping closer. She whirled around, energy whirring wildly at her fingertips, only to be met by empty darkness. She pressed a hand to her forehead. Tears stung her eyes. Had she gone mad? Was that what this was? Rinna picked up her cane and steadied herself.

Shaking slightly, she limped over to the wardrobe, pulled out a robe, shrugged it on and pulled on a pair of shoes. She needed to get out of this room, out of this thick, stifling air. She made for the door.

The corridor was dark and deserted and the air was cooler and thinner, easier to breath. Rinna moved as quickly as she could and drummed the fingers of her free hand against her arm. She came to a turning. Where was she going? The gardens? The library?

Yes, the library. It was safe in there, with writhing passages to hide in and books to look at to take her mind off the confusing mess inside her head.

She could find her way to the library blind by now and was at the carved doors in a matter of minutes. She pushed her way through and began to make her way to the alcove she and Loki usually sat in. As she grew closer, she could make out candlelight seeping through the books and shelves. She frowned and peered around the corner.

Loki sat on the floor, frowning intently at a book, lit dimly by a single candle. Rinna blinked. It was so late. She wondered if he often did this? He often looked tired...

"Rinna?" His voice pulled her from her thoughts. She flinched slightly and pushed a strand of hair off her face with fumbling fingers.

"I-I couldn't sleep," she murmured.

"Does something trouble you?" He asked and his forehead creased.

"I..." Rinna broke off and tugged at the sleeve of her robe. If she told him the truth, would he think her mad? Or perhaps he'd have a rational explanation for it, a solution, maybe? "It's this... _feeling_... that there's something in the room with me." She bit the inside of her cheek and her stomach fluttered. "I had the same feeling in the forest, that something was pursuing me, but there was nothing there."

Loki closed his book. "Sit down," he said. A gentle command. Rinna did as he said, thankful to take the weight off her bad leg. "How often does this happen?" He asked.

"Nearly every night."

Loki's eyes were thoughtful. "Does anything help?"

"Lighting candles, so I can see the entire room. But... not always."

Loki nodded slowly. "I can have Eir make up a sleeping draft for you, if you'd like," he offered. Rinna's stomach seized at the thought of being dragged into a drugged sleep.

"Thank you, but... I don't think I could take that." She shook her head.

Loki inclined his head. "I understand," he said softly. "Here." He picked up a book and held it out. "Help me look at these relics; see if one sounds as though it will suit your magic." Rinna nodded and took the book, grateful to have something to do.

She read, with some deal of difficulty, about the Casket of Winters and the Warlock's Eye, before her eyelids began feel heavy and her mind grew vague and muddled.

* * *

When Rinna woke, the candle had burned out and the weak sunlight creeping through the single narrow window above her was the only thing lighting the alcove. There was something soft cushioning her head against the shelf. She reached up and pulled it out; a green cloak. Loki's cloak. He was asleep, leaning on the shelves, an open book halfway falling off his lap.

Rinna straightened out the cloak; being crushed between her head and the shelf had rumpled it. She folded it and placed it beside Loki, then picked up the book, closed it and put it on top of the cloak.

She smiled. She'd finally been able to sleep... there'd been no nightmares or ghosts of past dangers following her into sleep. All she'd needed was something to distract her and... perhaps Loki's presence had helped. Perhaps it had been reassuring.

"Thank you," she whispered to the sleeping Loki before slipping out of the library to return to her chambers before the rest of the palace awoke.

* * *

That afternoon, Loki was summoned to his father's study.

Odin was bent over his desk, writing furiously on a piece of paper. Loki cleared his throat.

"You wanted to see me?"

The Allfather looked up. "Loki. Yes." He straightened, his face grim. "War has broken out in Muspelheim. A group of our scouts were attacked there this morning."

Loki nodded, unsurprised by the news; this war had been a long time coming. Why had Odin summoned him here, though? Perhaps he wanted him to lead a battalion? He had to fight not to smile at the idea.

"It will take a little time to gather men and supplies; we will leave within the fortnight." Odin set his jaw, eyes hard. "And we will be bringing that girl with us."

Loki felt the blood drain from his face. "Rinna?" He asked.

"Of course."

"No." He shook his head. "Father, she isn't ready. Once that power is let loose, it will be indiscriminate in who it slaughters and she may not be able to control it-"

"You, my son, promised me a weapon, and we _desperately_ need one now," Odin growled.

"If you will not even allow her to use a tool to focus it-"

"You will simply have to find a way to control it, whatever the damned thing is!"

"Don't you know I _have_ been trying? It isn't that easy." Loki fought to keep himself from snarling, his teeth gritted and his throat burning.

Odin sighed deeply, eyes closed. "I don't think you understand, boy," he said, voice calm but hard. Loki felt a flash of irritation at being called _boy_. "We need all the weapons we can get if we're going to win this war. So that girl will be coming with us and you are going to find a way to control her. Understand?"

 _Do_ you _understand?_ Loki thought and recalled the wild way Rinna's magic lashed out, fists clenched. Bringing her to battle would be more dangerous than it could be advantageous.

"You are dismissed," Odin said and went back to his writing. Loki's jaw clenched. There was no reasoning with him in this mood. He'd try again later – he had to convince him.

But, for now, he had to find Rinna.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Rinna knew this feeling.

Somewhere, deep in her bones, she recognised the dread of an approaching battle, the terror when she thought of letting that energy loose, allowing it to tear people apart...

Loki took her back to the forest the day after the Allfather gave his orders. They had a fortnight to prepare and couldn't afford to lose even an hour.

Loki placed a jagged rock the size of his fist in front of her. "Lift it," he said. "Just let a little of the magic out." It was easier said than done. Rinna held up a hand. The energy strained to escape. She breathed deeply, prepared herself and loosened her grip on it. It ripped away like a wild animal and sent the rock, and much of the dirt and dead leaves surrounding it, hurtling through the air.

This wasn't like drawing it up to her wrists or holding it at bay; once she let it go, it wanted to rage and destroy everything in its path and it was so much stronger than she was. As soon as the rock left the ground, she began to drag it back, but it didn't want to be subdued. It continued to tear at the ground, sending up a tornado of debris.

 _Stop_ , Rinna willed, jaw clenched tightly. _Stop._ Excruciatingly slowly, she fought it, heaving it back inch by inch. When the energy was finally tethered, she was breathing heavily.

Loki had retreated from the mass of flying debris and was standing several feet away, face tight. "Try again," he said quietly, his eyes cloudy. He tossed another stone. It landed at her feet.

Rinna braced herself. She _had_ to be able to do this or it was very likely that she'd murder Asgardian soldiers as well their enemies. The Allfather would take her life for that, she was certain; Loki had not said it outright but he'd avoided her gaze when she'd asked him about it.

 _You will obey me_ , she told the energy, even as it writhed like a nest of pythons.

This attempt went very similarly to the last.

And so did the next.

And the next.

The next.

The next.

When the energy had been pulled back from that final attempt, Rinna was shaking. She slumped against her tree, her legs weak and trembling. Loki crossed the clearing quickly.

"Are you all right?" He asked and put a hand on her arm. Rinna nodded.

"Yes..." She breathed weakly. There was fear in Loki's eyes. She was sure he was having the same thoughts about the battle she was. Did he foresee her death? Was he hiding it? "I think so," she said.

The rest of that day went very much the same and, by the time the sun had begun to set, Rinna could barely stand.

Once inside her chambers, Rinna collapsed onto the bed and was asleep in less than a minute, still fully dressed. Her sleep was heavy and empty, so dense that nightmares could not follow her there.

* * *

The next morning, Loki arrived in the forest with a pair of blunted-looking daggers.

"You're going to have to learn to fight if you want to stand a chance against Fire Giants and Fire Demons," he said and held the daggers out. Rinna propped her cane against a tree and took them. They were heavier than they looked but fitted comfortably in her hands.

"What about my leg?" She asked, wincing at the extra weight. Loki looked thoughtful for a moment and then held up a hand. Something strange and cold and hollow twined itself around her lame leg, like a serpentine gust of wind. A great deal of the weight on that leg seemed to disappear. Rinna blinked in surprise and took an experimental step. There was no pain and she moved with far more ease; the leg's usual stiffness had all but disappeared. Rinna smiled.

"What is it?" She asked.

"It's called a Ghost Crutch," Loki replied. "Once you learn to control your magic, you may be able to create one yourself."

Rinna's eyes widened at the thought of being able to move without a cane.

Loki produced two knives of his own. "Fire demons are hard to kill but go for the throat and chest," he said and took a few steps back. "You're small, so always attack first – you may not be able to fend off attacks and you cannot rely too heavily on being able to dodge them. This way, you can weaken them before they strike back at you." Rinna nodded in understanding. "Now; let's begin," Loki said and planted his feet squarely on the forest floor.

Rinna shifted slightly in an attempt to grow accustomed to her new-found mobility as she tried to figure out how to proceed. _Go for the neck._ She made a dash forwards, knife raised. Loki blocked her lunge with ease by meeting her arm with his and then his knife was at her throat.

He stepped away. "Again," he commanded.

Rinna twisted a knife around. She had to be cleverer about it than that. She started forward, lifting her left hand and, when he went to block that, she thrust forward with the right. He caught that too, his knife disappearing from his hand, but he nodded at her. She twisted her arm and freed it from his grip, then angled the knife towards his chest. Loki knocked the knife from her hand and, in what seemed like less than a second, his blade had returned to her throat. "Better," he said. "Again."

By the end of the day, Rinna was covered in dirt and dust. She didn't manage to win a match; Loki was infinitely more skilled than she was and bested her easily, but she had grown accustomed to using the knives and moving quickly. Despite this, the thought of using those knives on real, living creatures weighed heavily on her mind.

* * *

Loki did speak with his father again that night. He had hoped to appeal to his reluctance to spill Asgardian blood, but the king was adamant; he was desperate. Asgard's military force was not what it had once been and the inhabitants of Muspelheim were many and savage fighters. The scorching conditions on the damned realm made matters worse.

Rinna would be going with them to Muspelheim.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The days were passing too quickly and every second that flitted by brought them closer to battle.

Rinna constantly grew more adept at combat. Loki had begun to use duplicates to develop her ability to fight multiple foes at once, but he feared it was not enough. She would be facing creatures that wouldn't think twice about gutting her on the battlefield and could likely best her using brute force alone. And, while she could easily destroy them with her magic, that solution would likely have unintended casualties.

While he was not training with her in the forest, he was in his chambers, coming up with ideas and strategies to use in the battle. It would be best to keep Rinna away from where the fighting was thickest, for her own safety and for those around her; despite copious amounts of practise, her magic remained unruly and wild.

Using this, Loki formulated a plan.

* * *

Rinna was going to be sick.

The ever-closer battle filled her mind every hour of every day. At night, the energy stirred almost anticipatorily, as if relishing the prospect of being unleashed on living creatures instead of rocks and dirt. And, always when she was just on the verge of sleep, she heard the sounds of bones crunching, screams of terror and agony, smelled the stench of blood and smoke, felt slick blood on her hands... She'd jolt out of that half-asleep state, trembling violently. Then that invisible figment of her imagination would creep into the room.

In the forest, she whirled between Loki's shimmering clones, stabbing knives into stomachs and necks and, more often, ending up with one at her own. But these were formless illusions; they did not scream when she cut them. Anything she fought on Muspelheim would. And _their_ weapons would be sharp and deadly if she allowed them too close.

Loki was growing worried too, she knew it. Every time she failed to rein in the energy on his command, she saw his expression became increasingly bleak out of the corner of her eye, though he hid it when she looked at him.

Rinna's time was consumed by preparation – training with Loki, attending the armoury to be fitted for armour, and it was passing too quickly.

Soon, there was only a day between them and the battle. Rinna was frantic. Her heart hammered and she could barely hear Loki's voice over the pounding of blood in her ears. The energy seemed to be riled by her fear and strained harder to escape than it ever had before. Loki set another rock in front of her and stepped away, fists clenched and knuckles white.

Rinna bit the inside of her cheek so hard she tasted blood. The energy crackled and pushed at her fingertips. She raised her hands. Without her assent, it ripped away. It began to tear at the ground, whipped up water from the brook. A whirlwind of dirt, leaves and water swirled above her. She tugged at the energy but it was intent on its chaos and fought her. She heaved at it, feet braced firmly on the ground, pushing all of her strength into it.

 _Stop_.

Teeth gritted, her arms started to quiver with the effort as the energy continued to pour from her, her resistance ineffectual.

 _Stop._

She could feel her strength sapping with every passing moment as it began to draw back, little by little... each tiny piece of progress she made took much more strength than it should have... her knees gave way... breathing became difficult. Slowly, painfully, she forced the energy back and the cloud of shrapnel in the air came tumbling down.

She buried her face in her hands. If that happened tomorrow, if her fear took over and the energy unleashed itself on Asgardian soldiers...

"Rinna?" There was a hand on her shoulder. She looked up. Loki was crouched beside her, eyes wide.

"I can't do it," she whispered, shaking. "I can't control it."

"You _will_ be able to," Loki said. He eyed the mess her loss of control had left behind.

"We go to battle tomorrow and if this happens again, I-"

"Listen; we're going to keep you away from where all the main fighting happens." Loki moved in front of her and met her eyes. "You only need use your magic as a last resort. You're not going to hurt anyone from Asgard."

"You don't know that," Rinna muttered and wrapped her arms around herself.

Loki's eyes flickered to the ground. "No..." he said carefully. "Not for certain, but I'll do my best to prevent it. I promise you that."

* * *

Rinna couldn't sleep that night. She could smell blood, even as she lay wide awake in bed. The energy rolled and swelled in her veins like sea waves in a storm. She got up, restless with sickening nerves, pulled on her robe and picked up her cane.

Her legs shook as she padded down to the library.

The alcove was dark and empty, of course. What had she been expecting? But, even empty, the library was soothing. The air was cool and smelled faintly of parchment and leather. The darkness here didn't seem so thick and oppressive as it did in her chambers. Still, the scent of blood lingered. She needed to take her mind off the battle; she didn't want to torture herself with all the things that could go badly.

Rinna pulled a book entitled _The Fall of the Jotunns_ from the shelf and lowered herself to the floor. It was difficult to make out the words in the dark but she managed. It was better than the alternative, in any case.

She was interrupted by soft footfalls and froze, holding her breath. Loki turned the corner, a gently gleaming sphere of light in his upturned hand and a bottle in the other. He nodded slightly.

"I thought you might be here," he remarked and sat opposite her.

"I was too restless to sleep," Rinna said.

"You're not the only one." Loki waved his hand and a pair of glasses appeared on the floor beside him. He handed one to Rinna and proffered the bottle. She nodded and he filled her glass and then his own with dark red liquid. "An effective cure for pre-battle nerves," he said. Rinna took a cautious sip. The taste made her nose wrinkle. A slight smirk quirked Loki's lips. "It gets better as you keep drinking. Though the taste isn't the reason most people drink it." He smiled wryly. "I guarantee my brother and his comrades will be drinking themselves senseless this very minute."

Rinna tried to recall Loki's brother. She didn't remember him. "I don't think I've met your brother," she said.

"You will tomorrow. _He_ has been given the command of a battalion by our father." A bitter note crept into Loki's voice and he took a gulp of wine. After a moment, he smoothed over his expression. "But," he said more congenially, "we are not here to talk of battle. What is that you're reading?"

"The Fall of the Jotunns," Rinna replied.

"How cheery," Loki said sardonically. "Does it interest you?"

"If I am going to continue living here, I should learn the realm's history, don't you think?"

Loki's eyes narrowed at the emphasis on the word _if_. "You _will_ continue living here, Rinna."

"Provided nothing goes awry tomorrow." Her voice hitched slightly.

"It won't," Loki said softly.

Despite the sincerity in his eyes, she couldn't quite trust him.

* * *

Bedecked in light, silver armour, Rinna sat atop a black mare. Loki was beside her and they were near to the front of the huge mass of armoured warriors making their way across the Rainbow Bridge. The Bifrost loomed ahead.

Rinna's chest was painfully tight and she could hardly breathe. In mere minutes, they would reach Muspelheim. The energy mingled with the icy feeling in her veins and whirred almost hungrily, crying out for blood.

The Bifrost hummed similarly as the golden cogs on the walls began to spin. Rinna's throat closed up. She couldn't do this...

Heimdall twisted his sword and they were thrown forward into blinding colours and empty space.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The first thing Rinna noticed was the heat. It beat down fiercely through the clouds of dust in the air and stung her neck and face. The dust made each breath difficult and she gritted her teeth to keep from coughing. Mountains and rocks, like decayed fangs, jutted towards the dim red sky. The Ghost Crutch on her leg felt alien and strange as she sat tensely on her horse's back.

For several moments, there was only silence. Then, a wave of dark creatures came swarming around a mountain. Rinna's stomach dropped. Beside her, Loki drew his knives from his belt. Numbly, she did the same, unable to take her eyes off the army storming towards them.

A shout she couldn't quite make out came from the Allfather and the Asgardian army surged forwards to meet them. Rinna clung tightly to her horse in order to keep herself from falling. The two armies clashed with a cacophony of roars, screams and the clang of metal. Rinna's horse reared, spooked by the writhing mass of snarling creatures that surrounded it. Rinna almost tumbled from its back and only stopped herself by burying her hands in its mane.

One of the creatures leered up at her. It appeared to be made of dark stone, with tiny rivulets of fire, like veins, creeping across its tough exterior. Its eyes and growling mouth were filled with the same fire. It raised a crude blade and plunged it into her horse's chest. The animal gave a shrill scream and its legs buckled, sending Rinna rolling across the ground, knives slipping from her grasp as she pressed her hands to the burning floor to steady herself. The Fire Demon was upon her in an instant. Desperately, she tried to scramble away but it grabbed a fistful of her hair and lifted its blade. Rinna raised her hands in an attempt to defend herself.

Before the demon could sink its sword into her chest, something knocked it violently from her and it was sent sprawling. It came to a stop and then just laid still, its chest crushed beneath a hammer. The hammer dislodged itself from its body and went sailing past Rinna's head.

Rinna crawled away and snatched her knives from the ground before leaping to her feet. She glanced around wildly, in case another creature had decided on her as a target. She was surrounded by a chaotic mess of fighting, thrashing bodies and the ground was already littered with bodies, both from Muspelheim and Asgard.

Several feet away, a golden-haired man had that hammer in his hand. He was knocking down and crushing Fire Demons left and right. None could get close enough to him to cause him any damage.

One demon, apparently deciding to opt for an easier target, advanced on Rinna. It brandished a large sword and grinned at her mockingly. Rinna swallowed her fear and clenched her jaw. The energy whirred. She shoved it up to her wrists.

 _Always attack first_ , Loki's voice echoed in her mind. She tightened her hands around her knives and forced herself into a run. The demon was much larger than she was, but that would make it slower. She had the advantage of speed. The demon appeared surprised by her approach but recovered quickly and held out its blade. Rinna kept running straight at the sword's point, heart in her throat. The demon's grin widened, no doubt at the prospect of skewering her.

Inches from impaling herself on the demon's blade, Rinna swerved sharply, raised her dagger and buried it in the side of its neck. Its skin was tough and the impact jarred her arm painfully but the dagger went in. The demon roared with anger and pain and swung its sword at her. She ducked, but she wasn't quite quick enough. She hissed as the blade slashed her arm open and threw herself out of reach of any further attacks. The demon, however, was still intent on her. Her knife was sticking out of its neck but she still had the other one.

The demon made a run at her. Panic rising up her throat, she dodged it. The knife in its neck hadn't hindered it enough to make killing it much easier and she wasn't sure she'd survive the next time she attacked it. Warm blood was running down her arm, dripping onto the ground. If the demon's sword had been a few inches higher... If she'd ducked half a moment later...

 _No_.

She had to stop thinking like that. She raised her knife and squared her shoulders. She _had_ to be able to do this. There was no other choice. The energy buzzed insistently but she pushed it back. If she allowed the tiniest bit of freedom, she might never be able to stop.

And she was not worth the lives of all these people.

The demon charged once more. Rinna planted her feet and prepared herself to leap. The demon grew dangerously close. She ducked its blow, hurled herself forward and drove her knife up, into its chin. Still, the damned thing wouldn't die. With a bellow, it threw her and its sword to the ground and wrapped a stony hand around her neck. Rinna struggled, gasping for breath as it slowly began to crush her throat. She kicked feebly at it, which only seemed to anger it. It squeezed harder. Rinna whimpered and black spots began to appear in front of her eyes as her lungs began to scream for air.

There was a sudden flash of metal and the Fire Demon's head toppled from its neck, rolled off Rinna's chest and onto the ground.

Coughing and gasping hoarsely, Rinna pushed the demon's limp body off her.

"There you are," Loki's voice said. He held out a hand. Rinna took it and he pulled her to her feet. She almost fell again but he put a hand on her shoulder to steady her. "Are you all right?"

"Wonderful," she croaked. Loki smiled briefly. He bent, pulled her knives from the Fire Demon's severed neck and handed them to her.

"Come with me," he said and grabbed her arm. He led her through the bloody crowd and made quick, easy work of disposing of anything that tried to make an assault on them. Rinna watched in wonder as he did so and realised how much he'd been holding back during their training sessions in the forest.

The low blast of a horn filled the air. It was joined by a chorus of bloodthirsty roars and thundering footfalls. A slight hush fell over the battling crowd and the Muspelheim half began to give triumphant snarls, teeth bared at the Asgardians. Rinna's throat constricted as Loki's grip on her arm grew tighter.

"What's happening?" She whispered.

As if in answer, a fresh wave of creatures came pouring around the mountain, screaming viciously. Rinna's blood filled with ice. There were so many of them... The Asgardians were completely outnumbered.

" _Quickly._ " Loki tugged urgently at her arm and drew her quickly to the edge of the crowd. The new army had begun to form a wall around the two others. Unnoticed by the demons, who were too intent on spilling blood to pay much attention to their surroundings, they slipped through a large gap. Loki pulled Rinna down behind a boulder, hiding them from view.

"The leaders are giving orders from that mountain," Loki said. "If we can kill them, the Muspelheim army will be without direction and the chaos will give us an easier victory. I can hide us both with a glamour so we can climb the mountain unseen."

Rinna nodded tensely, listening to the dying screams of Asgardians on the other side of the boulder. If she could help to stop that, she would.

"Up there, it'll be safer for you to release your magic; we'll be far away from any Asgardians, so don't waste your energy restraining it. If it slips from your grasp, so be it." Loki waved his hand and a tingling sensation settled over Rinna's skin. "You and I are visible to one another alone, but any noise will give our positions away, understand?" Rinna nodded.

They crept out from behind the boulder and Loki led her towards the towering peak on the other end of the battlefield. Rinna could make out several figures atop it. One had its arms raised and symbols of bright red flame whirled and morphed above it. Rinna watched how the demons down on the ground observed these symbols before they closed in further on the other two armies. The Asgardians were trapped with the first Muspelheim army in a very limited space. They were like fish in a barrel.

Rinna sheathed her knives at her waist to free her hands and they began to scale the mountain. The slope was loose and sandy. It was difficult to cling to and, halfway up, Rinna lost her grip and began to slide downwards. Loki, just below, managed to catch her by the waist, but several stones, dislodged by her fall, went rolling down to the base of the mountain. They both froze, not even daring to breathe. Rinna looked up at the creatures on the summit. Their gazes were fixed on the battle below. They didn't seem to have noticed the little rockfall she had caused. Loki gave a terse nod. She dug her feet into the side of the mountain and he let go of her.

They reached the summit without further incident, slipping carefully past the ring of guards. Rinna hardly breathed. She was mere inches from one of the Muspelheim leaders' face and yet its eyes glided right over her.

Loki beckoned her to a spot behind the backs of the commanders.

 _Ready?_ he mouthed, spinning his knives in his hands. Rinna pulled her daggers from her belt and nodded, heart pounding. Loki stepped forward and, with one clean swipe, cut off the head of a commander. The tingling sensation left Rinna's skin; she was visible once more. She dashed at the nearest demon before they could fully realise what was happening. She buried her knife in its back, pulled it out, stabbed it three times in the neck. It howled but dropped to its knees, limp. Rinna blinked at it for a moment before turning away.

The leaders had now gathered their bearings and were converging on the pair of them, joined by their guards. Loki moved like a whirlwind, bodies falling to the ground in his wake. Rinna was slower but now she knew to make multiple quick stabs before they could swing at her. Using this technique, she at least managed to injure them badly enough to prevent them from any further attack.

Only two commanders and a single guard were left standing. Loki grinned triumphantly at Rinna, about to make a run at the closest demon, when a bloodcurdling shriek ripped through the air. Everyone on the mountain froze as a great, horned, reptilian head rose above the peak, eyes blazing. Rinna's stomach plummeted. Was this one of the Fire Dragons Loki had talked about? Her knives would be nothing but pinpricks to that.

She looked to Loki for help. A demon stood behind him, blade poised to strike. Rinna opened her mouth to warn him but, before she could speak, the demon shoved its blade through Loki's back.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Rinna watched helplessly as Loki dropped to the ground. The sword had gone all the way through him and his hands were clamped over the wound in his stomach but bright red blood was flowing relentlessly past them.

A low rumble came from the colossal jaws of the Fire Dragon and the remaining three Fire Demons began to encircle Rinna. She clutched her knives tighter and tried not to shake. She couldn't fight off three of them at once...

She glanced between them, at Loki, both for help and to make sure he was still breathing. His eyes were half closed but his chest still rose and fell.

That moment cost her dearly.

The Fire Demon behind her seized her arms. Its clawed fingers cut through the leather armour and her skin and she hissed with pain. She tried to wrench her arms away but the demon was far larger and stronger than she was. Another pressed a knife to her throat, drawing blood. The energy began to whirr at this. Rinna kicked sharply at the one holding her arms. This only seemed to anger it and it tossed her to the ground. She landed heavily on her side and the demon fell upon her. It seized her wrist and stuck a knife straight through her hand.

A scream ripped through Rinna's throat as she felt her bones break and flesh split.

"Stop playing with her. Cut her throat and be done with it," one of them, a commander, barked. "Then finish off the other one."

Behind it, Loki lifted his head. Blood was collecting in a pool around him. He raised his hand. _Now_ , he mouthed and twisted it.

Then Rinna was no longer in the clutches of the demons, but several feet away, by Loki's limp form. For a moment, the Fire Demons were disorientated but turned to her once more, snarling cruelly. She could not fight the three of them and the dragon alone with just a pair of knives...

She threw the knives to the ground and raised her hands, heart racing. The energy ripped free. It hit the demons like a storm of destruction. She felt every impact it made on them, as it held them frozen and ripped them apart. She felt their skin crack open, their insides disintegrate. They screamed as it happened, their sounds of agony piercing her ears and clanging through her mind. Soon enough, they were only fragments and dust on the ground.

The Fire Dragon chose that moment to leave its spot on the slope of the mountain and lunged at Rinna, its massive jaw agape and ready to tear her apart. She spun, turning the energy upon it. It stopped, as if it had an invisible wall. It gave a low sound of confusion before the energy began to split open its skin. Then it began to shriek. The sound made Rinna's throat constrict but she gritted her teeth and tried to block it out. If she didn't kill it, it would not only devour her, but hundreds of Asgardians before anyone was able to stop it.

The energy gushed from her hands, seemingly without end, hungry now that it had tasted blood. It was eager as it savaged the dragon and the air was thick with deafening roars and cries. Rinna felt the dragon's bones snap and shatter, its flesh crumble... The energy seemed to drag out her strength with it until her legs felt as though they would collapse. It took far longer to die than the demons and, by the end, Rinna was trembling violently and the dragon was just a cloud of grey dust.

The energy, now that it was done, tugged towards the battlefield, towards the hundreds of easy pickings down there.

 _No._

Rinna began to haul it back. It strained at her hold on it, wild with bloodlust. Rinna fell to her knees and poured each last scrap of her strength into dragging the energy back.

It heeded her slightly but kept pushing towards the battlefield. Rinna pulled harder. Her body began to burn.

 _You will obey me,_ she told it. _I am your master._ She gave another heave, using all of her strength.

Finally, the energy yielded. It came pouring back into her like a torrent of icy water. The strength of it was dizzying and she was overcome with nausea.

For a moment, Rinna was on another battlefield with an inky dark sky and a blood soaked plain. The same grey dust settled to the red ground around her, clouds and clouds of it. It caught in her hair like grey snowflakes. The plain was deserted. Terror tore at her – she'd done this, this was her fault, what were they going to do to her?

Something hit her over the back of her head and then she was back on Muspelheim.

She leaned over and vomited onto the ground, her vision swimming. For a few moments, she stared blankly, shaking and trying to clear her vision. Then she remembered Loki.

She turned to him and, for the first time, realised she was kneeling in his blood. His face was even whiter than usual and his eyes were wide. The wounds in his back and stomach were streaming blood. She had to do something quickly or he'd bleed out. She breathed deeply and tried to gather her thoughts and stop shaking.

With fumbling fingers, she unbuckled her chest plate and pulled off the leather tunic to get at the cloth shirt, which she tugged off too. Only in her undershirt, she began to tear wide strips off the shirt, a task made infinitely difficult by her injured hand.

"Can you sit up?" she asked him, her voice unsteady. Loki's jaw clenched and she helped him into a sitting position. His face tightened with pain. Quickly, she helped him shed his armour, tunic and shirt. A ridiculous flush crept into her cheeks. She ignored it; the battlefield was no place for modesty.

She began to wrap the makeshift bandages tightly around the wounds. Bright spots of blood bloomed on them almost immediately but began to slow and decrease in size as she persisted.

After what seemed like hours, she was finished. She helped Loki to lie down again, cushioning his head with her tunic. He was breathing raggedly but at least she'd stopped the bleeding.

"Your hand," he muttered hoarsely.

"It's fine," Rinna said, clutching it to her chest and trying not to look at it; she was sure she'd be sick again if she did. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, it was starting to burn furiously. She looked down at the battlefield. Loki had been right; without their leaders, the Muspelheim army had lost all direction. They had started to panic and had broken formation and the Asgardians slaughtered them easily under this new chaos and without the barrier around them.

Rinna closed her eyes and waited for the screams to stop.

* * *

After the battle, the golden-haired man with the hammer, a woman with dark hair and another man climbed the mountain.

"Brother, are you all right?" the golden-haired man asked, kneeling beside Loki.

"Oh, I've never been better," Loki said, managing to be sardonic even in this state. The man gave a laugh too light-hearted to befit the situation.

"Help me get him down the mountain, Hogunn," he said and the two men lifted Loki up, his arms over their shoulders. The woman turned to Rinna.

"Are _you_ all right?" she asked brusquely. Rinna nodded and the woman held out her hand. Rinna took it and she helped her to her feet. The two of them began to follow the men down the slope. Every step Rinna took was clumsy and stumbling and she felt as though she could fall at any moment.

"That was quite something," the woman said. Rinna blinked.

"Sorry?"

"The way you killed that dragon. I've never seen anything like it."

"Oh..." She didn't quite know how to respond. Thanking her didn't seem appropriate.

The woman's eyes narrowed slightly and she looked as if she wanted to say more but didn't.

All the surviving Asgardians had gathered, many of them carrying the dead, presumably to bring their bodies back to their families. Rinna couldn't help but stare at their pale faces. Some had their eyes closed and looked like they were only sleeping. Some of them stared blankly with unseeing eyes. Rinna couldn't look at those ones for very long.

The Allfather raised his sword and a pillar of coloured light came rushing down to claim them all.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think**


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